First bank dedicated to serving thriving cultural and entrepreneurial community
When C1 Bank opened in Wynwood at the beginning of the year, its futuristic interiors made it clear that this was not your grandfather’s bank. Passionate about building neighborhoods, C1 Bank moved into Miami’s most up and coming area and brought along a style and flair that complements the energetic personality the area is known for. As leaders of the first bank in Wynwood, C1’s CEO Trevor Burgess and South Florida Market Manager Alan Randolph intend to help entrepreneurs turn new money into old money by providing superior service and expertise to business owners large and small.
C1 Bank invites forward thinking, techsavvy customers into color-shifting, LEDlit seating areas, and edgy modular conference pods. The new banking center’s design challenges the impersonal perception of banking and also reflects the innovative, modern and collaborative style that captured a recent Coolest Office Space Award from the Tampa Bay Business Journal. C1’s Wynwood branch blends in with the artistic community that surrounds it with the help of Andy Warhol and Keith Haring pieces provided by Gallery Art. The bank will use its space for rotating art exhibits from local galleries and art schools.
Architect Lisa Wannamacher of Wannamacher Jenson and designer Rob Bowen of Rob Bowen Design Group were engaged to transform a vacant commercial building with a parking lot at 2632 North Miami Avenue into a sleek space that could be mistaken for an art gallery or tech device showroom given its nightly emerald green laser light show. That mix-up would not be altogether unwelcome as C1 Bank’s target customers are Wynwood’s growing community of entrepreneurs, inventors, and creative thinkers—many of whom are the future of Miami’s resurgent economy.
“Deciding to open our first South Florida banking center in Miami’s Wynwood District is a perfect fit,” said Burgess. “The arts community in Wynwood is one of the largest, most prominent creative communities in the United States. It is flourishing with over 300+ unique businesses, and we want to be a part of the movement.”
C1 Bank has 27 locations throughout Florida and has maintained a loan production office in Miami since January 2013. The bank’s full service operation, now that the Wynwood branch is open, is headed by Randolph, who was already overseeing C1 Bank’s $125 million plus in commercial and residential loans in South Florida.
As of December 31, 2013, C1 Bank had $1.3 Billion in assets statewide, and is consistently ranked as one of the region’s top SBA lenders, providing Small Business Administration loans up to $5 million. The bank was the 18th largest in the state as of September 30, 2013 and was recently named the 19th fastest growing company in Florida at the Florida Fast 100 Awards.
“We understand what our customers aspire to do and what they need, because we are a lot like them,” continues Burgess, who was recognized for his work with C1 Bank as the 2013 Florida Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the financial services category. “We serve people who are passionate about what they are creating here in Miami and our goal is to support and grow with the community. We develop in house fin-tech application, patenting many of our innovations, to help us serve the needs of these dynamic entrepreneurs.”
Examples include an iPad account opening process that establishes location-less deposit relationships in less than three minutes, and full banking capabilities to a wide range of devices built to suit individual banking preferences.
The bank is already immersed in the community, including as a Corporate Partner of the Miami HEAT sponsoring their Home Strong program which honors returning military personnel.
“C1 Bank is very focused on community involvement, and we hope to develop a strong and long-lasting relationship with all Wynwood District businesses to help ensure their ongoing success,” says Randolph.
Comras Company represented C1 Bank in the acquisition of the Wynwood property.
